By Richard LaCourse Rawhide Press Editor
White House Plan Means Termination
A " confidential " plan from the Ford White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB) spells out in fine detail a careful plan to reorganize the entire structure of federal-Indian affairs, and to " work the federal government out of the Indian business." The six-page memorandum, written by Interior Branch Budget Official Harold Borgstrom of OMB, is entitled, " Organization for Indian Affairs". It was given restricted White House circulation Apr. 16.
The Borgstrom plan outlines two separate approaches to phasing out the federal government in its relationships with Indian tribes under the federal trust relationship. One option, called " Long Range Social Problem Solving" explores steps taken to assist Indian tribes in the past and present, and finds specific faults in the current approach.
The section option, labelled " incre-mentalism", spells out an approach
which would force tribal members to accept the liquidation of their common trust and financial assests, destroying the present status of the reservation land base, and to use such revenues for services they are presently receiving under the existing federal structure.
The aim of incrementalism is to prompt the Indian populations to assimilate themselves into the " Mainstream" of A-merican society and gradually to yield their distinct identities and protected land areas.
Volume 6 Number 9 Full Moon of the Harvest of Ripe Things September 1976
B/O SKY COUNTRY
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District Meetings Scheduled
Dixon: The Tribal Council has announced a schedule for reservation-wide district meetings to be held in September. The meetings will be held at four locations on the reservation, and the entire Council will be in attendance at each meeting.
The first is scheduled for September 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the Ronan Community Center. This will be a combined meeting for the Poison, Pablo and Ronan areas.
Elmo's Councilman Pat Lefthand has set September 8, 6:00 p.m., at Koostahtah Hall, for his area. A dinner will be provided by the ladies of the community.
September 14 will be the date for the combined districts of St. Ignatius, Dixon and Arlee. The meeting will be held at the St. Ignatius Community Center, and will begin at 7:00 p.m.
The Hot Springs district will have their meeting September 16, at the High School Multipurpose Room, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
The Hot Springs Senior Citizen dinners bring many old and new friends together once a week, besides providing a nutritious meal. If you are in the neighborhood of one of the centers on their lunch day, stop in For the price of a lunch you can listen to stories and memories of our elders that no price tag can be placed upon. The luncheons still are in need of volunteer help. Call Vi McClure at 745-4500 if you can give some time